What to do when you're stuck inside

Whether you're stuck inside on a series of rainy days or due to quarantine, you need something to do. I don't think I've ever said I'm bored in my life. As I've aged, I've watched less and less TV/movies and will typically do almost anything aside from that so while we all know watching is an option, let's pretend we've run through the ol' Netflix queue in its entirety and find something else to do. I can always recommend purging and organizing what's left or cleaning, but I can only do those things for so long. And of course there's gardening, but we're just getting into that season. Let's go with three that can be done every day of the year to start. 

Reading

Hello, have you met me? Of course the first thing I'm going to suggest is that you take up reading. Think of it as a more active and imaginative version of watching Netflix and other streaming services or TV channels. It’s like watching TV in your head, but you have to imagine it. There's no one telling you exactly how it has to be or how you should see it. Your imagination takes over and it’s fantastic. 

I am firm in the belief that many people dislike reading because they have not yet found the books they want to read, and I'm firmer in the belief that there are books out there for everyone. It will be easier to get into reading if you hold firm to two things: 1. You can put a book down at any point if you are not enjoying it, whether it's 30 pages in or there are only 30 pages left. 2. Just because everyone else loves it doesn't mean you have to and just because everyone else hates it doesn't mean you should. 

Cooking

Have you ever thought about taking up cooking? It’s a fantastic hobby to have because it means that you can feed yourself and your bank account can have a break from the local takeout. It can also be a lot of fun to learn new recipes such as this ninja foodi baked potato recipe from GrillingMontana.com. It might take a while for you to master cooking, but you have plenty of time and you can always keep trying until you get it right. There is no time limit on how long it takes to get a handle on cooking, and even the most professional chefs still get things wrong sometimes. We bet you even Gordon Ramsay gets things wrong every now and again and he probably curses himself out too. 

Working Out

If you don’t like the sound of either of those and you want to do something a little more active, then working out could be a good choice for you. It’s not true that you need a lot of gym equipment in order to complete an effective workout, and in fact you can do a basic one right in your living room. If you want a visual guide then you can use YouTube (I like Leslie Sansone), join the crew at FuelCycleFit for virtual workouts (or in person outdoor workouts if you're in the Philly area), or if you want to follow an online list of what to do check out something like muscleandfitness.com to have a plan that you may want to follow. Whatever works for you, but this can help you release a lot of the stress that you are holding onto. I like Leslie Sansone on YouTube and a few different strength training routines. I am writing this paragraph to encourage myself to get back to both of those. 

In what ways do you occupy your time and refuel yourself?